Mangaluru: With the Department of Pre University receiving several complaints from aggrieved parents and students about how private PU colleges were trying to eke out extra money from them in the name of ‘integrated courses’, offering them additional coaching along with regular courses, the State Government was quick to ban the integrated courses in Pre University Colleges, warning them of de-recognising them if they violating the norm.

But, it now seems as though the PU Colleges have grown too big for their shoes. Despite the ban there are host of PU Colleges, which have been advertising in leading newspapers about coaching for entrance examinations like CET, AIEE, JEE, CA, CPT. These ads say that the colleges are also equipped to give coaching for NEET.

Now, the silence of the government even after coming to know of the ads is fueling suspicion, making one wonder if the government is actually hands in gloves with the PU colleges.

As a parent rightly points out, the indifference of the government, which wants to turn blind eye to this, even after seeing the Ads of so many Pre University Colleges, which are openly saying that they are offering integrated courses, is raising questions at the integrity of the government.

“Why can’t they just take action against them, by issuing notice along with a copy of their Ads and cancel de-recognise them,” says a parent on conditions of anonymity.

Another parent was quick to express, that these colleges who are defying the government ban, fully well know, that after admitting, so many students the Pre University department will never initiate such drastic action of cancelling their license, which will affect the students.

What worries parents?

As against Rs 20,000/- fixed for the PU Courses, Rs 80,000 or a Lakh is being demanded by the colleges and some of them are charging up to Rs 1.25 lakhs. The parents are immediately looking for admissions, into PU courses, in their chosen college of are worried, because the Pre University department is yet to act on the ban. The   delay, in Government action, encourages the colleges to fleece the parents, when offered seat with “leave it or take it attitude”. Some of the parents were expressing concern, which they cannot wait till the Pre University department initiates action in the right direction and then look for admissions in college of their choice.

An official in the department said, that they are flooded by complaints about the issue, but they are busy with PU results to be announced.

Some of the parent talking to newskarnataka.com said that it is mental agony to see the inaction of the government, instead of immediately, initiating action on such an important issue. A parent said, that this action on the part of the officials of the Pre University department, only suggests, nexus between the Colleges and officials.

There is no will on the part of the government to act immediately, after students suffered due to PU chemistry paper leak during PU exams and now admissions to PU courses, a parent said.

When Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Kimmane Ratnakar  was contacted and problems of the parents in getting admissions because of offer of  “integrated courses” were brought to his notice, and asked when will the government act, all he said was that a meeting has been called on Saturday evening at 6pm, to discuss these issues.

As per sources, even during the meeting it was decided to issue notices to the PU colleges who have advertised about these courses and then strip them off the recognition, a statement made by the officials even when the government decided to ban integrated courses on May 18, 2016.

However, with pressure mounting and with the PU Colleges themselves proving that they have violated the norm, one may have to only wait and watch if the government would crack the whip or continue to be in state of slumber.